Temple of Set (Michael Aquino)
Esoteric Left-Hand Path organisation founded by Michael Aquino (1975) splitting from Anton LaVey's Church of Satan. Distinctive Set-veneration theology. Aquino's history including the 1980s Presidio child-care abuse allegations (never charged) drew sustained scrutiny.
CLCI radar
BITE breakdown
0 — esoteric Left-Hand Path organisation; moderate control with documented Aquino controversies.
Profile facts
In context
The Temple of Set practices a self-deification Left-Hand Path framework distinct from LaVeyan Satanism. Michael Aquino, a US Army intelligence officer, was investigated but never charged in the 1980s Presidio Child Care Center abuse allegations. The organisation continues quietly. Internal control is moderate; ranking and degree-progression structure creates devotional ties.
Key control doctrines
- Set-veneration Left-Hand Path
- Multi-degree initiation hierarchy
- Self-deification framework
Recovery resources
See the full curated list at /resources.
Legal cases & controversies
- 1980s Presidio allegations (Aquino never charged)
Evidence by BITE axis
- Substantial commitment to esoteric practice
- Multi-degree initiation
- Founder's writings authoritative
- Closed-membership organisation
- Left-Hand Path framework
- Critics framed as spiritually inferior
- Devotional ties to lineage
- Mild departure social cost
Timeline
- 1975Aquino splits from Church of Satan; founds Temple of Set
- 1980sPresidio Child Care Center allegations
- 2019Aquino dies
Evidence matrix
Structured sources cross-linked to the claims they document. Tiered per the source hierarchy. For free-text citations see the Sources section below.
| Title | Type | Reliability | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Satanism in Britain today — Journal of Contemporary Religion (1995) | Academic | Secondary | — |
| Michael Aquino (Temple of Set), The Book of Coming Forth by Night (1975) — Satanism: A Reader (2023) | Academic | Secondary | — |
| Freigegebene Ermittlungsakte (Federal Bureau of Investigation) · archive | Government | Primary | — |
| Satan and the Beast: The Influence of Aleister Crowley on Modern Satanism. | Academic | Secondary | — |
| Satanism in Britain today — Journal of Contemporary Religion (1995) | Academic | Secondary | — |
| tandfonline.com | Academic | Secondary | — |
| Michael Aquino Part 01 (Final). | Government | Primary | — |
| The State - News from Aug. 4, 1988. · archive | Journalism | Secondary | — |
| Michael A. Aquino v. Michael P.W. Stone, Secretary of the Army. · archive | Government | Primary | — |
| Satanist Sues ISP to Silence Usenet Poster. · archive | Journalism | Secondary | — |
Sources
- Various academic studies of Left-Hand Path search ↗
- 1980s Presidio allegations coverage search ↗
- Satanism in Britain today — Journal of Contemporary Religion (1995) — https://doi.org/10.1080%2F13537909508580747 open ↗
- Michael Aquino (Temple of Set), The Book of Coming Forth by Night (1975) — Satanism: A Reader (2023) — https://doi.org/10.1093%2Foso%2F9780199913534.003.0014 open ↗
- Freigegebene Ermittlungsakte (Federal Bureau of Investigation) — https://vault.fbi.gov/michael-aquino/Michael%20Aquino%20Part%2001%20%28Final%29/view open ↗
- Satan and the Beast: The Influence of Aleister Crowley on Modern Satanism. — https://academic.oup.com/book/8721/chapter-abstract/154791217?redirectedFrom=fulltext open ↗
- Satanism in Britain today — Journal of Contemporary Religion (1995) — https://doi.org/10.1080/13537909508580747 open ↗
- tandfonline.com — http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13537909508580747 open ↗
- Michael Aquino Part 01 (Final). — https://vault.fbi.gov/michael-aquino/Michael%20Aquino%20Part%2001%20(Final open ↗
- The State - News from Aug. 4, 1988. — https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-08-04-mn-10261-story.html open ↗
- Michael A. Aquino v. Michael P.W. Stone, Secretary of the Army. — https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/578224/michael-a-aquino-v-michael-pw-stone-secretary-of-the-army/ open ↗
- Satanist Sues ISP to Silence Usenet Poster. — https://www.wired.com/1997/05/satanist-sues-isp-to-silence-usenet-poster/ open ↗
We cite sources by name and outlet rather than fabricating links. Where a source includes its own URL, the open ↗ link opens it directly; otherwise search ↗ runs a Google Scholar query for the cited title — useful for verifying academic sources. For news outlets, search the outlet's own archive.
Change history
Substantive edits logged per the score-updates policy.
- 2026-05-20Source-density flags derived from existing free-text sources[]: academic sources. Heuristic auto-flag; subsequent editorial pass will populate structuredSources[] with reliability tiers.
- 2026-05-20Score band scheme migrated from 4 bands to 5 (Minimal 0–5 / Low 6–12 / Moderate 13–20 / High 21–30 / Extreme 31–40). No CLCI value changed; the new Minimal band was carved out of the bottom of the previous Low band.
Relevant hubs
Curated entry points on CLCI Hub for situations connected to this group.
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Frequently asked questions
Q.Is Temple of Set a cult?
CLCI Hub deliberately avoids the binary label "cult." Instead it places groups on a transparent 0–40 spectrum of documented control using Steven Hassan's BITE model (Behaviour, Information, Thought, Emotional). Temple of Set scores 19 out of 40 — "Moderate Control", at medium confidence. The score describes documented control patterns, not a judgement of members' sincerity or beliefs; many members do not personally experience the patterns listed.
Q.What is Temple of Set's CLCI score?
Temple of Set scores 19 out of 40 on the Cult-Like Control Index, which falls in the "Moderate" band. That total is the sum of four BITE axes — Behaviour 5, Information 4, Thought 6, Emotional 4 — plus a signed modifier of +0 for aggravating or mitigating factors.
Q.Why does Temple of Set score 19 on the CLCI?
The score reflects publicly documented patterns including: Founder investigated in Presidio abuse allegations (uncharged); Multi-degree initiation hierarchy; Substantial commitment to esoteric practice. These map onto the BITE axes of behaviour, information, thought, and emotional control, and a signed modifier of +0 is applied for factors such as financial demands, leadership accountability, and exit costs. Every claim is backed by the citations in the Sources section on this page.
Q.How reliable is the Temple of Set rating?
This profile is rated Medium confidence. Medium confidence means the score rests on reputable journalism plus consistent ex-member testimony. CLCI scores are not fixed — they are revised whenever new public evidence appears, and groups that reform can score lower over time.
Q.Where can I get help regarding Temple of Set?
If you or someone you care about is affected by Temple of Set, start with the Recovery resources listed on this page. General cult-aware support is available from the International Cultic Studies Association (icsahome.com) and the Freedom of Mind Resource Center (freedomofmind.com). CLCI Hub is an educational resource, not a crisis service — if anyone is in immediate danger, contact local emergency services.
Found something wrong on this profile?
We accept correction requests from anyone — current and former members, researchers, journalists, family members, and the listed organisation. Submissions are reviewed by an editor; we do not auto-publish.